Jump to content

Washington Townsend

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Washington Townsend
Townsend, c. 1860–1875
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 7th & 6th district
In office
March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1875 (7th)
March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 (6th)
Preceded byJohn M. Broomall (7th)
James S. Biery (6th)
Succeeded byAlan Wood Jr. (7th)
William Ward (6th)
Personal details
Born(1813-01-20)January 20, 1813
West Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedMarch 18, 1894(1894-03-18) (aged 81)
West Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting placeOaklands Cemetery
Political partyWhig, Republican
Spouse(s)Elizabeth Barnard
Elizabeth Gibbons
ParentDavid Townsend (father)
Profession
  • Politician
  • lawyer

Washington Townsend (January 20, 1813 – March 18, 1894) was an American lawyer, banker, and politician who served four terms as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1869 to 1877.

Early life

[edit]

Washington Townsend was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. His father was botanist David Townsend, co-founder and chief cashier of the Bank of Chester County. He attended a private school and West Chester Academy. He was engaged as a bank teller from 1828 to 1844. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1844 and commenced practice in West Chester.

Early career

[edit]

He was prosecuting attorney of Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1848. He served as deputy attorney under Attorneys General James Cooper and Cornelius Darragh. He was cashier of the Bank of Chester County from 1849 to 1857. He was a delegate to the Whig National Convention in 1852, and a delegate to the 1860 Republican National Convention.

He was elected as a member to the American Philosophical Society in 1882.[1]

Congress

[edit]

Townsend was elected as a Republican to the Forty-first and to the three succeeding Congresses. He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Public Lands during the Forty-third Congress. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1876.

Later career

[edit]

He again resumed the practice of his profession in West Chester, and served as president of the Bank of Chester County from 1879 to 1894.

Death

[edit]

He died in West Chester in 1894. Interment was in Oaklands Cemetery, near West Chester.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "APS Member History". search.amphilsoc.org. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
[edit]
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district

March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1875
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district

March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877
Succeeded by